Progress In '92: What Must Happen To Keep City Moving

Progress Hinges On 6 Major Areas

City Must Organize Around New Vision

Hartford's Potential: An Update

Last Of Two Parts

April 13, 1992|By TOM CONDON; Courant Staff Writer

Mike McGarry was an anomaly -- a white, conservative Republican who lived in the mostly minority Asylum Hill neighborhood. He ran for mayor a decade ago, saying big government, high taxes and expensive social welfare programs were stifling business and increasing dependency.

But times were good and he got clobbered.

McGarry moved to Ohio four years ago, then moved back last fall. Hartford had changed. Downtown was no longer full of construction cranes. Streets weren't being closed for Colonial Realty parties. Rush hour wasn't as crowded.

But the changes weren't all bad. McGarry thinks he might have gotten a few more votes if he ran this year, because he found people talking about helping business, welfare reform, regional cooperation and less government spending.

McGarry thinks that is a good change in attitude. The question is how the new attitude can revitilize Hartford.

McGarry has has an idea of what the next step should be. So do dozens of others.

In the year since The Courant published "Hartford's Future -- A Path to the Possible," hundreds of people have met, talked, debated and, in a few cases, acted. Several projects, such as the Main Street Market and the Hartford Vision Project, are proceeding, as are longer-running efforts such as revival of the Griffin Line rail corridor between Bradley International Airport and the city.

We asked Mike McGarry and many others what has to happen in 1992 to keep Hartford moving. Many said the city has to keep fighting the chronic problems of drugs, teen pregnancy and weak schools. Most focused on six critical areas:

Hartford's traditional economic powers -- insurance, banking and defense -- are cutting back. If the city is to offset these losses, there needs to be a new plan, a vision, around which to organize. Cities that can organize around a vision can often revive themselves. Indianapolis, for example, used sports as an economic

development catalyst.

The Hartford Vision Project that began last year needs to find that vision for Hartford.

Here's how it might work. Let's say everyone decides Hartford should develop, as some have suggested, the idea of becoming "The City for Children."

With the coming of Newington Children's Hospital, the business and medical communities could go looking for medical-technical firms, pediatric specialists and others connected to children's health.

At the same time, a push could start to bring attractions such as the Science Museum of Connecticut into downtown Hartford, to go with the Carousel and Wadsworth Atheneum's children's programs. Downtown could be full of childrens' menus, childrens' movies, childrens' concerts, childrens' sports tournaments.

Educators could push for more innovative programs with local colleges, and perhaps could coax the technical manufacturing companies into funding a science high school in the city. The city would go out of its way to present educational events.

As this falls into place, a marketing campaign would start, aimed at bringing children to Hartford. Hotels could offer discounts to families with children and offer special childrens' activities. The city also could try to land a theme park.

Mayor Carrie Saxon Perry, a participant in the Vision Project, has suggested that Hartford become "The City of Fun." If that becomes the consensus, the same process could take place. The city could go after a sports stadium, more movie theatres, more galleries, the mini-golf course and so on.

If the Vision Project succeeds in finding a direction for Hartford and creating steps to follow the vision, those steps are going to have to be carried out.

The city, strapped for resources, won't be able to do it alone. There will have to be something the city has missed for two decades -- a public-private partnership that works.

The city's development, like most others, was once led by a handful of corporate leaders, who built such projects as Constitution Plaza. Then, in the 1970s, there was a new alliance between the city, headed by council leader Nick Carbone, and the corporations, led by Aetna Life & Casualty Co.'s John Filer. They built the Civic Center.

But that entente ended after Carbone left office, and has never returned. The corporations still send money and volunteers to a myriad of programs in the city, but the lack of a partnership in the past dozen years has made it difficult to do the kind of large-scale project that could turn the city around.

Almost everyone we interviewed said the city -- and the region -- needs a forum where civic, corporate and community leaders can meet, discuss issues and take action.

Many echoed the sentiments of Richard Gordon, owner of the Whalers, who said: "We've got to call a timeout and get together. The big boys have to step up, the mayor has to rally the people."

A forum could also coordinate the 15 to 20 disparate task forces, committees and studies now looking at revitalizing parts of the city.